Closure device



1961 J. GANTER 3,008,612

CLOSURE DEVICE Filed Dec. 4, 1958 l l l I INVENTOR.

LEO J. GANTER 3,008,612 CLOSURE DEVICE Leo J. Ganter, 1718 N. 55th St, Philadelphia, Pa. Filed Dec. 4, 1958, Ser. No. 778,244 3 Claims. (Cl. 222-543) This invention relates to closure devices and more particularly to improved retaining means for turnable closures.

There has existed a need for an easily manufactured, low cost device for reliable connecting caps or other turnable closure members to the containers with which they are used, so that the cap does not become lost or misplaced during the period of use of the container. The need is particularly pronounced with reference to disposable containers such as collapsible tubes in which tooth paste and other toilet preparations are marketed. These products are generally used in the bathroom of the home and often around and in conjunction with water, so that the closure can easily become lost if accidentally dropped into a wash basin.

This invention provides a low cost connection device that can be packaged with the product container and, being easy to apply, can be fastened to the cap and the container by the consumer. The conveniences afforded by the device can, therefore, be provided without materially increasing the cost of the product, either to the manufacturer or the consumer.

In accordance with my invention, the cap for the container is formed with an internal chamber, or recess, and an opening to the chamber through the top of the cap. Insertable into this chamber is a headed end of a strap formed of pliable material, preferably a sheet plastic material. The strap head is slightly larger in transverse dimensions than the opening in the cap, but smaller than the dimensions of the cap chamber, so that the head, once inserted into the cap, is retained therein and the cap is free to turn on the strap for ease in securing and removing the cap to and from the container. The opposite end of the strap has a collar thereon which is adapted to receive and grip a neck portion of the container for connecting the strap and the cap to the container.

The strap with its integral end portions can be stamped from sheet plastic, or the like, and is, therefore, inexpensive and easy to manufacture. Being thin and flat in its relaxed state, the strap is readily insertable into the box or other package in which the container is packed, and because it occupies so little space the size of the boxes currently in use for tooth paste and the like need not be increased to accommodate the strap. 7

The consumer, upon first using the container, removes the cap, inserts the headed end of the strap into the cap and places the strap collar over the neck of the container. The flexible and pliant nature of. the strap permits the strap to be bent to align the cap with the container neck and, because the cap is free to turn relative the strap, no difliculty is experienced by the consumer in thereafter securing the cap to or removing the cap from the container. The strap is sufliciently rugged to retain is usefulness for the life of the container contents and yet, because of its low cost, and can be discarded with the container when the contents of the container are depleted.

Other features, advantages and objects of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description thereof in whichreference is made to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a disposable container having my improved retaining means thereon;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged end view of the container shown in FIG. 1, with the container cap removed and shown in section to illustrate the manner in which the strap of this invention is connected to the cap;

nited States atent "ice FIG. '3 is an edge view of the connector strap shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modified cap; and,

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a container package, with a portion of the package broken away to illustrate the manner of packaging the container and the connector strap of my invention.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 to 3 of the drawing, the invention is shown applied to a collapsible and disposable tubular container 11 having a cap 12 for closing the discharge opening in a threaded neck 13 protruding from one end of the container. The cap 12 is connected to the container 11 by means of my improved connector strap 14.

The strap 14 is provided at one end with a collar 15 having an irregular, or non-circular, opening 16 therein, which provides spaced surfaces for frictionally engaging and gripping the container neck 13, over which it is placed. The opposite end of the strap is provided with a head 17 for connecting the strap to the container cap 12. The head is preferably shaped somewhat like a blunt arrow head with converging forward edges 18 and transversely extending rear edges 19; the latter edge surfaces providing retaining shoulders for holding the head of the strap in the cap.

The cap 12 is provided with the usual threaded recess 20 in the base thereof, by means of which the cap is removably secured to the threaded container neck 13. In accordance with my invention, the upper or top portion of the cap has a chamber 21 therein that is adapted to loosely receive the strap head 17. The dimensions of the chamber 21, both in depth and width, are greater than the largest corresponding dimensions of the head of the strap, so that the strap head does not bind in the chamber when the cap is turned on the strap. In this connection, the chamber is preferably provided with smoothly curved side walls to eliminate the possibility of the sharp edges of the strap head 17 catching on these side walls. The chamber 21 is provided in the cap shown in FIG. 2 by recessing the top of the cap and closing the recess with an annular ring 22, which is cemented or otherwise secured to the body of the cap. This ring 22 pro- .vides a circular opening 23.to the chamber 21 through which the head of the strap is inserted. The diameter of opening 23 is less than the largest transverse dimension of the strap head 17. The strap head must, therefore, be forced through opening 23, but when the head is passed completely through the opening the shoulder surfaces 19 of the head engage the ring 22 and prevent accidental withdrawal of the strap. The body or connecting portion of the strap at least adjacent the head 17 is narrower than the diameter of the cap opening 23, again to permit the cap to turn freely on the strap. I

In order to permit the strap head 17 to pass through the cap opening and to permit manipulation of the cap when connected toithe container 11, the strap 14 is constructed of pliable and flexible material. I prefer that the strapbe cutor stamped from plastic sheet material, such as polyethylene, nylon, or a similar material, which is flexible enough to permit the cap to be easily manipulated with the strap connected thereto, and is also inexpensive. Such materials are substantially impervious to liquids and are non-absorbent, so that they are sanitary.

FIG. 4 illustrates a modified cap arrangement for use with the strap 14. This cap 25, like the cap 12, is adapted to be molded from plastic material, such as polystyrene, but has the top thereof molded integrally with its body to simplify its manufacture. The core of the mold in which this cap is made is shaped to provide a stepped bore having a first or lower portion 26, which is threaded to receive the threaded neck of the container,

epoaera an intermediate portion 27 of reduced diameter to provide a chamber for the strap head 17, and a top portion 28 of further reduced diameter, providing an opening to the intermediate bore portion. The step, or shoulder, between the lower bore portion 26 and the intermediate bore portion 27 acts as a seat for a fluid impervious sealing disc 29, which is adapted to seat against and seal the end of the container neck 13 when the cap is on the container.

PEG. 5 illustrates the preferred manner of packaging the strap 14 and the container with which it is to be used. The strap, unattached to either the container 11 or the container cap 12, is inserted along side the container in a cardboard package or box 31 of the type ordinarily used to protect the container during shipment and sale. The stra being formed from thin, flat sheet material, is readily carried within the package 31 without increasing the size of the package.

The purchaser of a product having the strap packaged with the container 11 and an appropriately constructed cap 12 removes the contents of the package and connects the cap to the container by means of the strap. This is a simple procedure, involving removal of the cap, placement of the strap collar over the neck 13 of the container, and insertion of the strap head 1L7 through the cap opening and into the cap chamber. The cap is thereby securely connected to the container for the life of the container contents and the likelihood of the cap thereafter being lost is substantially reduced.

Since the actual connecting operation is performed by the consumer the additional cost to the product manufacturer is solely in the cost of the strap, which is slight. The connecting operation, however, is a simple one and no hardship or annoyance to the consumer.

What I claim is:

l. The combination with a container having a neck terminating in a discharge outlet, of improved closure structure for said container comprising a cap receivable on said neck for closing said discharge outlet and being turnable on said neck for securement and removal, said cap having an opening in the top wall thereof and being provided internally with a'chamber having transverse dimensions which are greater than the diameter of said opening, and a strap for connecting said cap to said container and permitting said cap to be secured to and removed from said container neck, said strap being formed from a fiat sheet of pliable plastic material and comprising an elongated connector portion, a collar at one end of said connector portion adapted to receive and frictionally engage said neck of said container, and a head at the opposite end of said connector portion, the largest transverse dimension of said head being less than the transverse dimensions of said cap chamber and greater than the diameter of said cap opening, the pliable nature of said material permitting said head to be forced through said opening into said chamber for connecting said strap to said cap, the width of said connector portion of said strap being less than the diameter of said cap opening at least adjacent said head, whereby said cap may be freely turned on said strap.

2. The combination with a container having a threaded neck terminating in a discharge outlet, of improved closure structure for said container comprising a cap receivable on said neck of the container for closing said discharge outlet and being turnable on said neck for securement and removal, said cap having a circular opening in the top wall thereof and being provided internally with a chamber having transverse dimensions which are greater than the diameter of said opening, and a strap for connecting said cap to said container and permitting said cap to be secured to and removed from said container neck, said strap being formed from a thin, flat sheet of self supporting, deformable plastic material and comprising an elongated connector portion, a collar at one end of said connector portion, said collar having a non-circular opening therein adapted to receive and frictionally engage said neck of the container, and a head at the opposite end of said connector portion, the largest transverse dimension of said head being less than the transverse dimensions of said cap chamber and greater than the diameter of said cap opening, said head having converging forward surfaces to facilitate insertion of the head through said opening into said chamber for connecting said strap to said cap, the width of said connector portion of said strap being less than the diameter of said cap opening at least adjacent said head, whereby said cap may be turned freely on said strap.

3. The combination with a disposable container having a threaded neck terminating in a discharge outlet, of improved closure structure for said container comprising a threaded cap receivable on said neck of the container for closing said discharge outlet, said cap being turnable on said neck for securement and removal, said cap having a circular opening in the top wall thereof and being provided internally with a smooth side-walled chamber having transverse dimensions which are greater than the di ameter of said opening, and a strap for connecting said cap to said container and permitting said cap to be secured to and removed from said container neck, said strap being formed from a thin, flat sheet of pliable plastic material and comprising an elongated connector portion, a collar at one end of said connector portion, said collar having a non-circular opening therein adapted to receive and frictionally engage said neck, and a head at the opposite end of said connector portion, the largest transverse dimension of said head being less than the transverse dimensions of said cap chamber and greater than the diameter of said cap opening, said head having converging forward edges and transversely extending rear edges to facilitate insertion of the head through said opening into said chamber and for deterring removal of the head from the cap, the width of said connector portion of said strap being less than the diameter of said cap opening at least adjacent said head, whereby said cap may be turned freely on said strap.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,924,242 Kaye Aug. 29, 1933 1,937,674 Teason Dec. 5, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS 555,892 Italy Jan. 31, 1957 813,643 Germany Sept. 13, 1951 

